Picking Up The Pieces
by Jenna-Jayen
Summary: CHAP 3 ADDED! ..AU.. A Harper Apprentice who is only a turn away from achieving Journeywoman status is accused of a crime she didn't commit and is sent back to the Weyr where she must pick up the pieces of her life and begin again. My first Pern Fic!
1. Outcaste

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Anne McCaffrey's Dragon Riders of Pern (DRoP) series. Most of the characters in this story are mine, although some have been borrowed from Southernrealms: Kahiko Weyr with the permission of the members AND the BoD there.

The main character and her two siblings were created by me.

**Chapter 1: Outcaste**

Jayen waited nervously outside the Master Harpers office, biting her lip and occasionally pushing strand of hair back behind her ear. She knew why she had been summoned. Someone had gotten into the records room and ripped up some of the oldest records, and as Jayen had been the last one in there, people had naturally blamed her.

She was scared. She would be kicked out of the Harper Hall, for a crime she hadn't committed.

At 17, only a turn away from reaching Journeywoman status, Jayen was what most would call beautiful; the rest would have called her stunning. She had long, straight black hair that reached down to her waist and striking, moss-green, almond shaped eyes, a pert nose and rose-bud lips. Her skin was pale, and she made it appear paler by wearing dark, mostly black, clothes.

Her beauty wouldn't help her now though, not she ever used it to her advantage anyway.

The door to the Master Harpers office opened and the Keeper of Records came out, frowning and wringing her hands. The woman was short and stick thin, and always appeared to be squinting at something in the distance.

She turned her squinting look towards Jayen and drew herself up a little. Her head didn't even reach Jayen's shoulders.

"He wants to see you. Now!" The woman's voice was thin and reedy.

"Thank you Harper Lyrah" Jayen replied meekly, staring down at her wherry-hide boots.

She walked over to the door of Master Harper Silak's office and knocked twice, only opening it and entering after she heard a gruff "Come!"

Jayen made her way over to the desk and waited, watching the Master Harpers face and breaking out into a cold sweat.

The Master Harper glanced sharply up at her from his pile of notes. "Sit, girl." She sat and looked down at her hands which she had clasped together tightly in her lap.

"Dear, dear, deary me. What shall I do with you my girl?"

Jayen looked up, right into the Master Harpers grey eyes.

"You were one of the best students I've ever taught, Jayen. And that's what makes this worse for the both of us." He steepled his hands in front of him. "Why did you do it child?"

Jayen stared wide eyed at him. "Sir, I… I didn't do it sir. I left the Records Room just before dinner and forgot to lock it." She gulped. "I ran back there after dinner and locked it up before reporting to the kitchens to do the washing up sir. I didn't look inside… maybe if I had remembered to lock it before dinner the records wouldn't have been destroyed…" She looked down at her hands again and tried to blink away the tears, knowing that the Master Harper wouldn't believe her.

"I wish I could believe you Jayen. But under the circumstances, and with no other culprit in sight, I'm afraid you are the only one I can blame." He sighed and blew air through his teeth unhappily. "A Dragon Rider will be here at sunset to take you back to the Weyr. That will give you enough time to say goodbye to your brother and sister, and your friends too."

Jayen nodded mutely and stood up. "Thank you, sir." She left the room, only just hearing his last words "What a pity! So much talent wasted! Just wasted!"

The bright spring sunlight shone right into Jayen's eyes as she exited the Hall, making her blink her eyes repeatedly to adjust them. She set off morosely for the long line of buildings that housed the apprentices, Journeymen and Journeywomen. The buildings that she had called home for the past five turns.

Her twin brother was waiting for her at the steps of the rock building she had slept in. "Hey sis. What did he say…?" her brother trailed off when he saw the silent tears falling down her pale cheeks.

"Oh Jayce!" she wailed and threw her arms around him, uncontrollable sobs bursting out of her. "He's sending me back to the Weyr! They all think it was me who destroyed those sharding records!"

Jaycen patted her back and hugged her. "I'm so sorry Jay. I wish there was something that I could do…"

Jayen had stopped sobbing now, and was wiping her tears away between sniffles. "There is something you can do." She smiled a little. "You can find the fardling idiot who did do it so that I can come back!"

"I'll try sis, I'll try." Jaycen replied. He hugged her tightly once more, then took his arms away and stepped back. "Come on, Daellin and Jadrien are waiting inside."

The two of them entered the building. Jaycen held his head up proudly, not giving in to the pain that filled his heart. He and his sister had always done everything together, gone everywhere together. And now she wasn't going to be there, at the Hall with him, going to the same classes as him. It felt like a part of him was being torn away, like he was being ripped in half.

Jayen wrapped her arms around herself, so caught up in her own misery that she didn't feel her twins' pain like she normally would have.

They got to the room that Jayen shared with their younger sister, Jadrien. The door was open and they could hear the younger girl telling Daellin that "it would be alright" that "Jayen wasn't the one who did it."

The twins walked into the room, and Daellin quickly walked over to Jayen and hugged her. "What did the Master Harper say?" he asked her softly.

Jayen looked up at him, seeing that he had been crying and wiped away one of his tears with a shaking hand. "I'm being sent back to the Weyr. They think it was me. They don't want me to stay here…" fresh tears sprang up in her eyes and she pulled away from him and went to her younger sister, and hugged her. "Be good Jaddie, and take care of Daellin and Jaycen for me will you?"

"Of course I will Jay." The girl assured her. "It's not fair! You shouldn't be sent away, you didn't do anything wrong!" Jadrien was crying now and hugged her sister fiercely. "I don't want you to go!"

"I don't want to go either Jaddie, I don't want to leave. But they're making me go. A Dragon Rider is coming at sunset to pick me up. Promise you'll be there to say goodbye?" She looked the girl in the eyes, and then looked at the two boys, young men now. "Promise me you'll all be there to say goodbye to me?" she whispered, more tears falling down her cheeks.

They all promised, and Jayen's twin and younger sister took turns to hug her again before excusing themselves to go to their respective classes.

Jayen and Daellin were left alone, which was just what Jayen had wanted. She closed the door and walked over to him.

"I'm going to miss you." She whispered, looking up at him. _He'll be walking the tables in a seven-day, _she thought. _He'll be a_ _Journeyman soon._

Daellin pulled her into his arms, hugging her and kissing the top of her head. "What am I going to do without you Jay?" he said hoarsely, his beautiful tenor voice choked up with the sobs that he wouldn't let out.

"We would have parted soon anyway, when you Walked The Tables." It was her only solace in the situation.

"I know, but it's not the same." He tilted her head up with one hand, stroking her cheek softly with his thumb and kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too." She pulled him towards her bed, untying his belt in the process.

"What… what are you doing?" he whispered in surprise.

"This may be the only chance we'll get Daellin," was all she said.

He smiled ruefully, shook his head, kissed her again, and helped her get both his, and then her, clothes off.


	2. Painful Parting, New Beginning

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Anne McCaffrey's Dragon Riders of Pern (DRoP) series. Most of the characters in this story are mine, although some have been borrowed from Southern Realms: Kahiko Weyr with the permission of the members AND the BoD there.

The main character Jayen, her two siblings, the rest of Jayen's family, and Jenna, rider of Green Haevinth are my own creations and are also my characters at the Kahiko Weyr.

EDIT: 23/8/2006 – I just renamed the chapter because the previous title was a bit confusing and didn't really suit what the chapter was about. Please read and review!

**Chapter 2: Painful Parting, New Beginning**

Jayen finished packing her few belongings into the two carry bags, and looked around the room she had lived in for the past five turns.

There were so many memories wrapped up the walls of this room, the most recent being of her and Daellin together in the bed… She smiled ruefully and shifted position gingerly. _It was a good experience,_ she thought. _Even though it was painful to begin with. _She had no regrets about what she and Daellin had done, and was pleased with herself for actually doing it and not backing out at the last minute.

Sighing, she left the room, closing the door behind her and heading out of the building and into the square where the Dragon Rider was to pick her up.

It was almost sunset, and soon she would be returning to the Weyr in shame and would have to pick up the pieces of her life.

Daellin was waiting for her at the edge of the square. Her twin brother and younger sister were with him.

She walked up to them, giving her siblings a hug. "Take care you two. Don't do anything stupid."

Jaycen chuckled and Jadrien hugged her tightly. "We won't do anything stupid Jay!" the younger girl replied. "Say Hello to Ma and Da for us."

Jayen nodded and smiled a little. It would be good to see her parents again, even if they were disappointed in her.

"Well, Jaddie and I have kitchen duty tonight, so we'd better get going before we do get into trouble." Jaycen hugged her. "Take care, sis." Jayen watched sadly as her brother and sister walked off to the Dining Hall. They turned around very couple of steps to wave to her, and Jayen waved back.

She sighed and turned to Daellin once they had disappeared from her line of sight and was hit with a wave of apprehension as she looked at him.

She needn't have worried because Daellin pulled her into his arms and kissed her repeatedly.

"Don't forget me." He whispered.

"I won't. Just don't forget me!"

He laughed. "How could I? Especially after what we did earlier…" he didn't need to say more.

Jayen blushed, her pale cheeks turning pink in the last rays of the sun.

"Your rides here."

Jayen looked over her shoulder at the green dragon that was winging its way down to the square, then looked back at Daellin. "I'll miss you." She whispered, kissing him softly.

Daellin kissed her back. "I'll miss you too. Love you."

"I love you too." She kissed and hugged him one last time and hoisted her carry bags onto her shoulders, turning away just as the Green Dragon landed in the middle of the square.

The dragon's rider dismounted and walked towards her, waving with both hands. "Heya Jay!"

Jayen recognised the voice. "Hey Jenna, hello Haevinth." She greeted both the rider and the dragon.

_Greetings Jayen. The other dragons send their regards_ Haevinth replied warmly in her mind.

Jayen blushed for the second time that evening. She had been able to hear the dragons speak for all of her life, and had slowly learned how to block their conversations from her mind, but it still made her feel self-conscious when they actually spoke to _her_.

"I heard about what happened, Jay. Everyone at the Weyr knows it wasn't you who ripped up those records. Shards! Most of us older ones have known you since the day you were born, and you've never done anything worse than sneaking into the Hatching Grounds as a toddler to have a look at the eggs!" Jenna plump cheeks were red with her barely contained anger. "It's not right for you to be sent back to the Weyr for something you didn't do, and the Weyrwoman even spoke to the Master Harper on your behalf, but the fardling old man is too stubborn and wouldn't budge as much as a flitters tail length! Said something about having a reputation to uphold or so I heard." The green rider said a few more obscenities before taking Jayen's bags out of her shock-limp hands. "Come on, let's get home. Don't worry about your Ma and Da, the Weyrwoman's already spoken to them and they don't believe that you did it either. If fact, they can't wait to have you home. We've got a clutch on the sands right now, due to hatch in a couple of months. We need all the help we can get right now to prepare for the hatching."

The green rider pushed a still shocked Jayen over to the green dragon and helped her up onto Haevinth's back, strapping her in securely before tying the girls' bags onto the straps below the dragon's wings.

The green rider then climbed up onto her dragons back and strapped herself in. "Hold on now. Haevinth is gonna take off it a sec!"

Having grown up around dragons, and having ridden on quite a few, Jayen was prepared for the take off, even in her shocked state. She remembered to wave goodbye to Daellin just before they took off, and her heart broke when she saw that he was crying again. _Shards, but she would miss him_.

The dragon winged her way into the air just as the sun sunk below the horizon, gaining altitude with every powerful thrust of her pale green wings.

Even though she had ridden dragons before, being up in the air on one always took Jayen's breath away. The view of the Harper Hall in the darkness was beautiful with all the glows lighting up the buildings.

"Sorry kiddo, but we can't go between today. I've got a babe on the way and I don't want to lose this one like I lost the other two." Jenna apologised, having to yell over the wind of their flight.

The green rider had lost two babes in the last two turns because she hadn't known she was with child when she went between, and each time the grief had nearly killed her. Jenna already had four children, eight turn old twin daughters, a five turn old son, and her youngest girl who was nearly three, but she desperately wanted another baby. She wanted as many as she could get, and often volunteered to help Jayen's mother at the Weyr Crèche.

"Congratulations Jenna!" Jayen said loudly, straining to be heard over the wind, having finally come to her senses. "It's not far to the Weyr anyway, is it?" the green rider nodded in affirmation. "So it wouldn't really be worth going between anyway." It would give Jayen a bit of time to think of what she was going to say to her parents.

"It's a nice night for flying. Nice and balmy. It should be sunny again tomorrow. Would you mind helping me bathe Haevinth tomorrow arvo? Once you've settled in of course."

"Sure. It'd be nice to get back into the old routines again. It'll keep my mind off… other things."

Just then the outline of the Weyr came into view. The caves on the high half-cone shaped cliffs glowed in the darkness, and the lake below glistened darkly. The glowing, whirling blue-green eyes of dragons could be clearly seen up on the fire heights and the Watch Dragon bugled a loud welcome which Haevinth promptly answered.

As they flew over the top of the Weyr, Jayen was looked down just in time to see faint shapes of the eggs that were hardening on the hot sand in the Hatching Ground.

"How many eggs are there this time?" Jayen asked as the green dragon descended down into the Weyrbowl.

"Sixty-eight, including four gold's. It's the biggest clutch yet. It's a sign that Thread will be coming again soon."

Jayen nodded. _Sixty-eight eggs! And four gold's!_ She had once dreamed of impressing a dragon, any dragon, but had never been searched. When she had gone to the Harper Hall, Jayen had given up that dream and had decided instead that she wanted to be Master Harper one day. And now that dream was shattered too.

She sighed as they landed, choosing to ignore the questioning glance that the green rider threw her way, and concentrated instead on the group of people gathering at the entrance to the Lower Caverns.

Her parents were there, with seven of her younger siblings that were still too young to be Apprenticed to a Hall. And, the Weyrwoman was there too.

Jayen had only previously seen the Weyrwoman from a distance. To Weyrbred children, and people outside of the Weyr, the Weyrwoman was a mythical person, almost a Goddess, who was never to be approached, who knew everything that happened in the Weyr, and who could strike you down with only a look.

Since being at the Harper Hall however, Jayen had lost that fear, but not the respect and awe.

Jayen got down from the green dragon and thanked her gratefully.

_You're welcome Jayen_ the green replied.

Jenna passed her bags down. "I'll see you tomorrow arvo at the lake." With a parting smile the dragon and rider pair lifted off and flew up to the Weyr that they shared with their Weyrmate's and family.

Jayen hoisted her bags over her shoulders and walked over to her family and the Weyrwoman. Before she could say anything however, her mother was there, throwing her arms around her daughter and welcoming her home.

"We're so glad you're home sweetheart! We've missed you so much!" her mother gushed, kissing and hugging her daughter tightly as if she was going to fly away and go between forever.

"Ma! I'm not going to disappear!" Jayen laughed, feeling glad to be home again. Her mother let her go and took a step, looking her daughter up and down, only stopping when she was apparently satisfied with how her daughter was developing, and looked.

"Don't you worry about a thing sweetie. The Weyrwoman here has explained everything to us. We're not angry or upset with you. We're just glad to have you back home, where you belong. We are concerned about how you're taking it though."

"I'm alright Ma, Da." Jayen managed to say. "I'm just glad to be home too. I do miss my friends though, and Jayce and Jaddie, and Daellin. But I missed you guys more than anything while I was there." This wasn't exactly true, but she wanted to reassure her parents that she was okay.

Jayen turned to the Weyrwoman who had kept quiet while the family was reunited with their daughter. A small smile was tugging at the corners of her mouth as if she were trying not to laugh.

"Evening, Weyrwoman Lorin. I wasn't expecting you to be here me meet me, but it gives me a chance to thank you for everything you have done for me." Jayen bowed formally, like she had been taught in the Harper Hall.

"Don't mention it dear. I see you've gained the formal ways of a true harper." The Weyrwoman laughed. "We're all glad to have you back here with us child." The Weyrwoman smiled at Jayen and patted her on the shoulder. "If there is anything else I can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask me dear."

Jayen grinned. She had lost some of her misconceptions about the Weyrwoman already. "You've done more than for me than I can ever repay ma'am. I have no right to ask for anything else when I can't repay my previous dept."

The Weyrwoman laughed again and grinned. "Such a way with words! Maybe you can repay me. I'm still having trouble finding a suitable harper to sing and play at the Hatching Feast. I'd like you to be that harper. You have such a lovely voice, and even if you can't be a harper, you can be a Weyr Singer."

Jayen smiled and tears came to her eyes. To be asked to sing and play at the Hatching Feast! "Thank you ma'am! It would be a true honour!" Jayen answered breathlessly.

Something good had come out of all the pain she had been through today.

"If you'll excuse me ma'am, it has been a very exhausting day, and I'm afraid I may fall down asleep soon. Would you mind if my family and I went back to our weyr for the night?" Jayen asked timidly, not wanting to take up too much of the Weyrwoman's time.

"Certainly child, you do look rather dead on your feet. Headwoman Katarina will see you tomorrow sometime to work out what chores you will be assigned once you have settled in properly. And don't worry, you'll still be able to help bathe Haevinth tomorrow afternoon. Good night Rheeva, Jarendall, Jayen, children. Clear skies!" The Weyrwoman walked away to the hatching grounds, her short blonde hair which was only just starting to turn grey blowing in the slight breeze that had sprung up since Jayen's arrival back at the Weyr.

Jayen went with her family back to their weyr and gratefully sank down onto the freshly made bed in the same room she had slept in before going to the Harper Hall. She was so tired that she didn't even give the Harper Hall or Daellin another thought and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the soft pillow.


	3. Reunion

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Anne McCaffrey's Dragon Riders of Pern (DRoP) series. Most of the characters in this story are mine, although some have been borrowed from Southern Realms: Kahiko Weyr with the permission of the members AND the BoD there.

The main character Jayen and her two siblings are my own creations and are also my characters at the Kahiko Weyr. Blue Rider Valkyrie is an NPC/Adoptable Weyrling at Kahiko Weyr, but has been promoted to Full Rider/Search Rider status for this fan-fic, and Bronze Rider D'haran, another Weyrling at Kahiko Weyr, has also been promoted to Full Rider status.

I thank my first two reviewers, **Swift** and **cathrl**. I have sent my reply to **cathrl** regarding her review, and I shall put all of my replies to reviews at the end of the fic once it is finished.

Clear skies! Jenna-Jayen.

**Chapter 3: Reunited**

In the three seven-days since she had arrived back home at the Weyr Jayen had buried herself so fully in her new duties that she didn't pay attention when the first batch of candidates came in.

So it wasn't until the evening meal, when the Headwoman asked her to serve out the herd Beast Stew, that she was reunited with her brother and Daellin.

She heard their voices first, and looked up in shock, not believing what her eyes were showing her. "Jayce!" She cried once she'd gathered her wits about her, and walked out from behind the stew pot. "What are you guys doing here?"

Her brother, hearing his name and her question being called out, looked around, trying to find which direction it had come from. His eyes alighted on her face near the stew pot and a grin nearly split his face in two. "Jay! Shards, we've been looking for you everywhere so we can tell you the news!" Daellin nodded his agreement, he was grinning too, and the two young men quickly walked over to her.

"What news?" Jayen asked them, looking first at Jaycen and then at Daellin for an answer.

"We were searched Jay!" Daellin burst out. His grin was getting wider. "Me, Jayce, Jaddie, and two of my brothers. We were all searched just this morning!"

Jayen was happy for them, and she told them so. "Shards, that the best news I've heard since I got here!" She exclaimed. "Have you and Jaddie told Ma and Da yet Jayce?"

Her brother nodded, still grinning widely. "Yep. But shells am I famished! Any chance you could give us some of that stew? It smells divine."

Jayen smiled at her twin and nodded, moving back behind the stew pot to get a pair of bowls. She ladled generous amounts of the thick stew into the bowls and handed one to each of the young men.

"I'll see you later Jay. Da wants to have a chat to all the candidates once we're all seated." He grinned once more and motioned for Daellin to join him, shrugging and walking away when the other young man declined to go just yet.

Jayen smiled up at him. "I'm really happy for you Daellin. I really am."

Daellin blushed. "Thanks Jay." He looked into her eyes. "I've missed you. It hasn't been the same since you left…" he trailed off and looked down at his feet after putting his bowl of stew on a bench nearby.

"I've missed you too Daellin. There hasn't been a single day when I haven't thought about you. And now you're here!" She walked around the stew pot again and hugged him tightly.

Daellin returned her embrace with all his pent up love, and kissed her.

They were interrupted by an obscenity and the words "Excuse me, kids." One of the blue riders was glaring at them, and they drew apart reluctantly.

"Sorry to burst your happy little bubble, but some of us are famished and have been on Search all day." The blue rider pouted unhappily.

Jayen apologised to the blue rider and quickly ladled some stew into a large bowl. "Sorry Valkyrie." She apologised again, blushing.

"Hey, don't mention it. I remember being young and in love once, kid. Reunions are special in their own way, sorry to break yours up, but he'll be here for quite a while, methinks." Valkyrie grinned at the two young lovers and raked a hand through her short black hair. "Good luck at the hatching, kiddo." She said to Daellin and walked over to her own table to sit with the other Search Riders. Daellin's older brother, D'haran, a bronze rider, was sitting at the Search Riders table collecting Marks as bets were placed on which candidate would impress which colour dragon.

"I'd better get to the candidate table Jay, or your Da will have my guts for your mother new Garters." His eyes sparkled with mirth and he grinned apologetically, leaned over the stew pot and kissed her softly before walking off.

The rest of the evening was a blur to Jayen, and she was glad to fall into her own bed sometime after midnight and sleep.

She dreamed happy dreams about her Daellin that night.


End file.
